Raising Myotonic Goats

August 6, 2011

We have raised dwarf Nigerian Goats in the past but decided to find a new breed at the Buck ‘N Run Ranch. Nigerians love to climb fences and escape. Our fences are not good so that was not going to work. I researched breeds and found that the Myotonic or Tennessee Fainting Goats are easy keepers. The fact that they “faint” or have a myotonic episode when they get excited keeps them from doing some of the naughty things other breeds do. I decided that we would raise Tennessee Fainting goats this time. I found two purebred little girls, Thelma and Louise in February 2011.

In June we added sisters, Laverne and Shirley, purebred Tennessee Fainting Goats. You can see them in the middle here:

So far they are a wonderful little herd. Louise has taken on the leadership roll and actually became a bit of a bully but she has settled down now. They get along well with all the farm animals.

Our plan at this time is to get them all registered with the Myotonic Goat Registry and the International Fainting Goat Association. We will then breed them to a registered Buck and the kids produced will be able to be registered as “Premium” Fainting Goats. There is a lot of paperwork involved and we need pictures of them in a full faint. So I’ll have to carry the camera everywhere I go.